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2 Sheets-Sheet 1. L. T. HAGAN. STAVE JOINTING MACHINE.

(No Model.)

Patented Dec. 18, 1894..

LOUIS T. HAGAN,

NITED STATES OF WINCHESTER, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO -THE CONN- HAGANCOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,943, dated December18, 1894. Application filed February 17, 1894- Serial No. 500,571- (Nomodel.)

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LoUIs T. HAGAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Winchester, in the county of Clark and State of 5 Kentucky,have invented new and useful Improvements in Stave-Jointing Machines, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a class of stave jointing machines in whichtwo cutter heads are so arranged as to joint both edges of barrel, kegand hogshead staves at one operation.

It is the object of my invention to provide an improved self-adjustingmachine of simple construction, capable of making a stave T of equalwidth at both ends and of any width in the middle to give the requiredbilge, and which shall be adapted to joint staves of random widths,without any attention from the operator more than to lay the stave blankonto the machine'table.

My improved stave jointing machine comprises two rotary cutter heads,one of which is mounted in stationary bearings and the other in amovable housing or bracket. It

2 5 also comprises improved mechanism for automatically adjusting themovable cutter head to any width of stave; mechanism forautomaticallylocking the said movable cutter head in its adjustedposition with relation to 0 the required bilge until the stave haspassed from between the two cutter heads, the dis tance between the saidcutter heads being gradually and automatically increased as the middleof the stave is approached and in like 5 manner diminished toward itsends, thus giving the stave the required bilge; and improved devices forfeeding and guiding the stave to and between the cutters. 5

The machine is designed principally for jointing staves for tobaccohogsheads, but will operate equally wellon staves for any kind ofhogshead, keg or barrel and on staves for either tight or slackcoopering. The cutter blades should have working edges 5 of such slantor inclination as Will give the desired bevel to the edge of the stave.Where the stave blanks are made out of thick lumber that has beenresawed, thus providing two staves of exactly the same width, they maybe both jointed at the same time by placing one on top of the other andusingacutter having a double slant that will bevel the two supenposedstaves in opposite directions.

Myinvention consists in the features of construction and novelcombinations of devices in a stave jointing machine as hereinafter moreparticularly described and claimed.

In the annexed drawings illustrating the inven tionFigure 1 isa plan ofmy improved stave jointing machine. Fig. 2 is asectional side elevationof the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end of the machine. Fig. 4 isa detail plan of the mechanism for automatically locking the adjustablemovable cutter head and for regulating the bilge of the stave. Fig. 6 55 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the movable cutter headsupport, with the looking cam shaft in section. Figs. 6 and 7 are detailelevations of the locking mechanism from the opposite side of theposition in which it is shown in Fig. 2. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate anarrangement for automatically actuating the locking mechanism of themovable cutter head from'an arm or finger working under thestave'i-nstead'of on its top. Fig. 10 is a view illustrating thejointing of both edges of two staves at one time. Fig. 11 illustrates amovable cutter head mounted in a swinging frame or bracket.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 20 8o designates the machineframe, which is oblong and of any suitable construction. This framesupports a flat table or bed 21 that is preferably made in severalpieces suitably spaced apart to accommodate the-various op- 8 5 erativeparts of the machine. j

In a horizontal position atiopposite ends of the machine are twosprocket wheels 22 and 23 for supporting and actuating an endlesssprocket chain 24 by which the stave blank is 'fed or moved along. Thisfeed mechanism is so arranged that the upper edge of the chain will beabout flush with the top of thetable or bed 21 on which the stave is tobe placed. The upper edge of the feed chain 24 is provided at suitableintervals-with upwardly projecting lugs 25 that are extended somewhatabove the level of the table. The distance between these lugs 25 may beabout one foot greater than the length of the stave to be jointed.

IOO

To one side of the table 21, and within the space inclosed by the feedchain 24, is secured a guide bar 26 that projects above the table and isextended nearly or quite the entire length of the machine. The stave tobe jointed is laid on the machine table with one edge against the guide26 and with its rear end immediately in front of and in contact with oneof the upwardly projecting lugs on the feed chain 24 by which the staveis thus carried forward in or upon themachine without requiring anyfurther attention or manipulation until it is discharged in a finishedstate at the farther end of the machine.

At a suitable point themachine table 21 and guide-bar 26 are sectionedor divided to accommodate the stationary cutter head 27 that is arrangedjust above the space inclosed by the endless feed chain. Thiscutter-head 27 is carried by a vertical shaft 28 mounted in stationarybearings below the top of the machine and provided with a suitabledriving pulley. The movable cutter head 29 is arranged parallel with thestationary cutter head 27, and is revolved through a suitable pulley onits vertical shaft 30 which is mounted in a movable bracket or housing31 that may be arranged to slide on bars or ways 32 and 33 supportedtransversely below the machine table. The housing or bracket 31 ispreferably provided with rollers 34 to reduce friction.

The bracket or support 31 of the movable cutter head 29 carries at itsupper end a chip breaker 35 that is so adjusted as .to allow the cutterhead to take ofi the proper quantity of material to give the desiredbilge to the stave.

The stationary cutter head is similarly arranged with relation to theguide-bar 26 and in order that the stave may have the same bilge on bothedges, the divided guide-bar 26 is not puton straight from end to end,but the outer ends, away from the cutter head, are set over to one sideso as to make the guide concave in its length on that side along whichthe stave passes. It will thus be seen that provision is made for havingthe bilge equal on both edges of the stave.

For the purpose of normally pressing the movable cutter head 29 towardthe stationary cutter head 27 a spring 36 is attached to the machineframe and connected with, or arranged to exert pressure on, an arm orprojection 37 of the movable cutter head support. To the table 21 ispivoted, at 38, one end of a horizontally arranged lever 39, the otherend of which is extended toward the movable cutter head. At the endnearest the movable cutter head the lever 39 is provided with alaterally and forwardly inclined extension 40 that projects in the pathof the stave as it approaches the cutters. The end of the inclined leverextension 40 bears against one side of a lug or projection 41, on themovable bracket support or housing 31 of the movable cutter head, insuch direction that as the stave moves forward and strikes the incline40 the lever 39 will be caused to move the cutter-head 29 outward,against the pressure of the spring 36, until the stave enters betweenthe movable cutter head and chip breaker 35 on one side and thestationary cutter head and guide 26 on, the other.

Through the upper portion of the housing or bracket support 31 of themovable cutter head 29 is passed a transversely arranged shaft 42 alongwhich 1 the said housing or bracket support is adapted to freely slideexcept when locked to said shaft. Where the shaft 42 passes through thehousing or bracket 31 it is provided with an eccentric or cam surface 43that is adapted to have a locking engagement with a suitably shapedaperture or recess 44 that may be controlled or regulated by a set screw45, Fig. 5, inserted in said bracket or housing, the locking together ofsaid shaft and housing being effected by imparting a partial rotation tothe said shaft. When the passing stave has moved the cutter-head 29outward along the shaft 42 so that the stave will enter between the twocutter heads the movable cutter head 29 will be locked in that positionby an automatically effected movement of the shaft 42, actuated from thestave. This may be accomplished in several ways. In the constructionshown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, a depending forwardly curved finger46 is secured to the inner end of a rock-shaft 47 supported transverselyabove the guide 26 and at the approach side of the stationary cutterhead. This depending finger 46 is in the path of the advancing stave andis adapted to be lifted by it and thus rock the shaft 47 when the stavehas entered between the cutter heads and has shifted the movablecutter-head 29 outward to its adjusted position as already described. Onthe shaft 47 is an arm 48 connected by a rod 49 with an arm 50 on thelocking cam shaft 42; and on the rod 49, above the arm 48, is a spiralspring 51, the tension of which may be adjusted by a thumb nut 52 on theupper end of said rod. When the stave lifts the depending finger 46 androcks the shaft 47 it causes the arm 48, rod 49, and arm 50 to turn thelocking cam shaft 42 a part of a revolution until it is firmly engagedin the locking aperture of the bracket or housing that carries themovable cutter head.

During the forward movement of the stave, the movable cutter-head29,after beihg locked with the shaft 42, receives therewith aslightlateral motion through mechanism arranged to control the required bilgeof the stave. In one side of the machine frame is fulcrumed a lever 53,one end of which is connected with, or arranged to bear against, one endof the shaft 42 in such direction as to impart an endwise movementthereto and thence to the cutter-head 29 for controlling the bilge. Theother end of the lever 53 bears against and is actuated from a cam 54 ona short vertical shaft driven by a gear" 55 from a pinion 56 on avertical shaft 57 through which is also driven the sprocket-wheel 22 ofthe stave feeding mechanism. In the endof the lever 53, adjacent to thecam 54, is a slot 58 working on a pin 59 that guides the said lever andholds it in position. Astrong spring 60 is arranged to bear'against theextreme end of the shaft 42 opposite the end on which the lever 53 acts.The spring 60 presses on the shaft 42 in such manner as to hold itfirmly against the lever 53, and at the same time holds the lever 53against the cam 54 and causes it to follow the movement of the cam,without any lost motion. The lever 53 pivots on a movable fulcrum orbolt head 61 passed through an elongated slot 62 in said lever andsupported at any suitable point onthe machine frame. By moving this bolthead 61 nearer to or farther from the cam 54 theleverage can be adjustedto give the staves more or less bilge as required. The cam 54 is sogeared with the shaft of the sprocket wheel 22 that it will make onerevolution in the length of each stave. Through the action of this cam54 on the lever 53 thelocked' together shaft 42 and movable cutter head29 will receive the necessary lateral motion to give the stave therequired bilge. If it is desired to arrange the machine at differenttimes for jointing longer or shorter staves, it is necessary to changethe feed chain 24, or the lugs thereon, so that the lugs will be theproper distance apart for the length of the staves and, also, change thegearing of the cam 54 so that it will make one revolution to each stavepassed through the machine.

The feed chain 24 is driven by the sprocketwheel 22 on the verticalshaft 57 which is connected by worm gears 63, or other suitable gearing,with a transversely arranged shaft 64 provided with a pulley 65 drivenby belting from a pulley 66 on a countershaft 67 at any convenientpoint. Other pulleys 68 on this countershaft 67 are beltedto pulleys 69on the shafts of the revolving cutter heads.

While the stave is passing between the revolving cutter heads 27 and 29,the raised position of the finger 46, held upby the stave, causes thesupporting bracket of the movable cutter head to remain in its lockedposition on the shaft 42, so that-through the lateral movements impartedby the cam 54 and lever 53 the required bilge will be obtained. When thestave has passed the cutter heads the finger 46 will drop, or be forceddown by the spring 51 on the rod 49, thus rocking the shafts 47 and 42backward and unlocking the movable cutter head 29 so as to allow it tobe moved, by the spring 36, toward the stationary cutter head inreadiness for another stave. The spring 51 allows staves of varyingthickness to pass under the finger 46, and causes the finger to pressdown on the upper surface of the stave in readiness to drop as soon asthe stave has passed by the cutter heads. Figs. 2 and 6 show the lockingmechanism in the position it occupies before the stave raises the finger46 and Fig. 7 shows its position after the stave has passed from beneaththe said finger.

The lugs 25 on the chain 24 that feeds the staves through the machineshould be sufficiently far apart, 'or at distances enough greater thanthe length of the staves to be jointed, that the finger 46 will drop andunlock the housing of the movable cutter head before the next stavestarts in.

In Figs. 8 and 9 is shown an arrangement for automatically actuatingthelocking shaft 42 by means of an arm or finger 70 working under the staveinstead of on top. This finger 70 is fastened to the shaft 42, andprojects above the table in such position that it will be struck by theadvancing stave and pressed down, thus turning the shaft 42 until it islocked with the housing or bracket support 31 of the movable cutterhead, the stave go in this case being held down by springs 71 to preventit from rising over the shaft actuating finger.

For the purpose of adapting the machine tojointtwo stavesof equal width,at oneoperation, I may provide each cutter blade 72 with a double slant,as shown in Fig. 10, and place one stave 73 on top of theother sothat'in' passing between. the cutter heads they will be beveled inopposite directions. This arrangement is especially convenient injointing staves that have been cut from thick lumber and resawed, thusmaking two staves of exactly the same width.

- Instead of having the movable cutter head 29 mounted in a housing orbracket arranged to slide on the transverse bars 32, 33, Fig. 2, it maybe mounted in a swinging frame or bracket 74, Fig. 11, pivoted to crossbars 75 supported by the machine frame.

It will be seen that the machine isadapted to adjust itself for jointingstaves of random widths, Without requiring any attention from theoperator, and that with a slight change inthe feed chain and in gearingthe mechanism for-controlling the bilge it will work equally well'onstaves of any length, whether for kegs, barrels, or hogsheads.

What I claim as my invention is-.

1. In a stave jointing machine, the combination of two cutter heads oneof which is movable toward and from the other, a spring to press themovable cutter head toward the stationary cutter head, a rock-shaftextended transversely through the housing or support of the movablecutter head and adapted to have a locking engagement therewith, a le--yer projecting in the path of an advancing stave and arranged to exertapressure on .the movable cutter head support to force it along saidrock-shaft and laterally away from the stationary cutter head andmechanism act- IIO uated from the advancing stave to impart a partialrotation to the rock-shaft and cause it to become locked with thesupport of the movable cutter head, substantially as described.

2. In a stave jointer, the combination of two cutter heads one of whichis automatically adjustable toward and from the other, an endless feedchain provided with upwardly projecting lugs arranged at intervalsgreater than the length of a stave, a locking rockshaft extended throughthe housing or support of the movable cutter head and adapted to belocked therewith, means for actuating said rock-sh aft from an advancingstave to lock the said shaft with the movable cutter head support, andmechanism for automatically imparting endwise movement to the rock-shaftto control the bilge of the stave, substantially as described.

3. In a stave jointing machine, the combination with the stationarycuter-head and the movable cutter-head, of a transversely arranged rockshaft extended through the housing or support of the movable cutter headand adapted to have a locking engagement therewith, a lever projectingin the path of an advancing stave to force the movable cutter head alongsaid rock-shaft and away from the stationary cutter-head, a fingerarranged to be acted on by the stave to impart a partial rotation to thesaid rockshaft and cause it to become locked in the housing or supportof the movable cutter head, and mechanism for imparting endwise movementto the said rock-shaft for controlling the bilge of the stave,substantially as described.

4. In a stave jointing machine, the combination with the stationarycutter head, the movable cutter head, and a transversely arrangedrock-shaft extended through the housing or support of the movable cutterhead and adapted to have a locking engagement therewith, said lockingrock-shaft provided with an arm, of a rock-shaft mounted transverselyabove the machine table and provided with an arm and with a fingerdepending in the path of an advancing stave, a rod connecting the armsof the two rock-shafts, a spring on said rod, and mechanism forimparting endwise movement to said rock-shaft for controlling the bilgeof the stave, substantially as described.

55. In a stave jointing machine, the combination of two cutter heads oneof which is movable toward and from the other, a lever arranged to beacted on by an advancing stave to press the movable cutter head awayfrom the stationary cutter head, a locking rockshaft extended throughthe housing or movable support of the movable cutter head, and adaptedto be locked therewith, a finger arranged to be actuated by the stave toturn the rock-shaft into locking engagement with the housing or supportof the movable cutter head, a lever provided with an adjustable f ulcrumand having one end in engagement with one end of the said lockingrock-shaft to move it endwise for controlling the bilge of the stave, acam acting on the other end of said lever, and a spring pressing againstthe other end of the rock-shaft, substantially as described.

6. In a stave jointing machine, the combination of an endless feed chainsupported and driven by sprocket gears and provided with upwardlyprojecting lugs arranged at intervals greater than the length of astave, two cutter heads one of which is movable toward and from theother, a locking rock-shaft extended through the housing or support ofthe movable cutter head and adapted to be locked therewith, a fingeradapted to be actuated by the stave to turn the said rock-shaft intolooking engagement with the housing or support of the movable cutterhead, alever for imparting endwise movement to said rock-shaft forcontrolling the bilge of the stave, and a cam geared with the drivingmechanism of the feed chain and adapted to actuate said lever,substantially as described.

7. In a stave jointing machine, the combination of two cutter heads oneof which is movable toward and from the other and each provided withcutters having a double slant to bevel both edges of two superposedstaves at one operation, a lever acted on by the staves to press themovable cutter-head away from the stationary cutter head, a lockingrockshaft extended through the support of the movable cutter head andadapted to be locked therewith, a finger adapted to be actuated by thestave for turning said rock-shaft into position for locking the movablecutter-head, and mechanism for imparting endwise movement to saidrock-shaft to control the bilge of the stave, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal inpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

- LOUIS T. HAGAN. [n s.]

\Vitnesses:

FRED BROADHURST, W. T. FOX.

